If you have a cooling tower on your site, you know maintenance is something you need to stay on top of with monthly inspections, rigorous testing and cleaning regimes. And with the majority of cooling towers located on the top of buildings, providing safe and easy access for this work to be carried out is part of the deal.
Here’s why you need to make sure you take steps now to get these two important aspects of cooling tower maintenance sorted, and how.
Why cooling tower maintenance matters
Every State in Australia has legislation relating to cooling tower maintenance that building owners and business owners must comply with.
In a nutshell, businesses are required to have Risk Management Plans in place for cooling towers and cooling towers should be inspected every month, cleaned every six months and certified annually.
Effective management of cooling water systems is essential for protecting public health. Cooling water systems contain one or more cooling towers which circulate cooling water which, in turn, cools the air in air conditioning systems. Poorly managed cooling water systems can provide ideal conditions for the growth and transmission of Legionella bacteria, placing people at risk of Legionnaire’s disease, a serious and potentially life-threatening condition.
Add to that the fact it’s been a smoky, hazy summer due to the bushfires and the threat of a bad flu season this winter, now is a good time to make sure you’ve got your cooling tower maintenance sorted.
According to water management specialists like HydroChem, the recent bushfires have heightened the need to ensure your cooling tower has had a good clean. This is because smoke comprises organic particles that are essentially food for bacteria like Legionella, and therefore you can expect a high dirt and bacterial load in your cooling tower if you are in an area that has been bushfire and smoke affected.
Safe access solutions
Cooling tower maintenance is a must and so is ensuring the safety of the people who are accessing your cooling tower for inspection, cleaning and maintenance purposes.
The more frequent the access, the more frequent the risk. That’s why we recommend installing permanent rooftop access systems including walkways, guardrails, platforms and ladders for cooling tower maintenance. Cost effective and easy to maintain, these in-built systems provide the highest level of fall prevention for people working at heights.
Anchor Safe can design, supply and install systems to suit your building and rooftop structure and access requirements, and meet the rooftop access and safety compliance standards in your state.
And, just like your cooling tower should be inspected regularly, so should your rooftop access systems. We also offer height safety audit and inspection services that can assist you to make sure you’ve got the right safety controls in place
Links to legislation in your State
Here’s links to information, including guidelines and legislation, relating to cooling tower maintenance and legionella control in your State:
- NSW Health – NSW strengthened their regulations in 2018
- Health Victoria
- Queensland Health
- SA Health
Make sure you have the right protection in place for anyone who’s working at heights at your site. Get in touch with us today to book an inspection or talk about our accredited height safety, access and fall protection systems.